"When can I get out of here?" Nikita questioned as she struggled to move her head to the side. Her one free hand was tangled in the blanket as she pulled at it nervously. She still slept more than twenty hours a day, but her thoughts, when she was awake, were filled with getting out of medical.

For days now, it was the only topic that Nikita would talk about. She would not talk about her pain, and she was sit there, in burning pain, until someone noticed the tears at the corners of her eyes. She was a strong Nikita, but it was a Nikita that was not doing her body any good.

"And where would you go? Back to Section Eight? To that apartment?" Michael finally questioned. It was one that was on his mind for a long time. He stared at Nikita for a long time, and then felt the guilt build on him.

Nikita was crying.

"Anywhere..." Nikita finally whispered out as she quickly moved her head to the left, away from Michael. He knew that the movement caused Nikita more pain, as she was just slow at healing. Her movement was limited in every way and just moving her head was a chore. Michael knew that he had hurt Nikita with his words. He wished that he would have waited to say anything, or at least thought about what he was going to say.

"I think the doctors should have the final say, Nikita..." Walter finally chipped in as he walked around to the other side of the bed. Michael winced as Nikita pulled her head up and stared up at the ceiling.

"You are surrounding me... What about what I want?" Nikita questioned in a steady voice, void of the tears that were on Nikita's face mere seconds ago. Michael looked over at Walter and solemnly nodded his head for Walter to walk back on the other side.

"I'm sorry, Nikita... I know you don't like it when we do that... We are just concerned," Michael stated in a calm voice. He looked at the clock and swallowed. Nikita would soon be going back to sleep. It was a relief, but it also bothered Michael. There was so much that needed to be discussed.

"Did I ever tell you that I hate this ceiling?" Nikita questioned and Michael smiled. it was a question that Nikita asked every time that she woke up. For some reason, they always ended up like this, Nikita staring up at the ceiling, as she couldn't express something that she clearly needed to say.

"Well... once you heal some.. we can sit you up more... Remember, we tried it yesterday... and it didn't work?" Michael questioned and Nikita closed her eyes. Michael moved back closer to Nikita's head and took his hand to her forehead.

"How long am I going to feel this way?" Nikita questioned and Michael looked as her eyes circled to hit his. He shrugged his shoulders and kissed Nikita's forehead.

"I don't know... but you will start feeling better soon enough..." Michael stated and Nikita nodded her head slightly. She actually smiled and took Michael's hand into hers.

"Then I can get out of here... Where will I go?" Nikita questioned and Michael leaned down and placed another kiss on her forehead. He felt that Nikita was jumping to conclusions that he wasn't willing to discuss yet. Of course, Michael in his head, knew that Nikita was going to be going to his apartment, where he could attend to her, but he hadn't revealed that to anyone.

"We'll worry about that when we get there... One thing at a time..." Michael stated and Nikita looked at Michael and her eyes twinkled.

"The first thing is getting rid of the catheter," Nikita stated and then laughed with Michael. Walter shook his head behind Michael, glad to see that this conversation had finally drifted off to the ways the other conversations had. They would proclaim their love as Nikita feel asleep, as if Nikita was fading to her death. That had bothered Walter immensely, but it was never something he would admit.

Nikita pulled her good hand with the sheet and pulled it to her chin. She looked at Walter and then Michael and had a heavy sigh. It was a good test of her breathing, which would push against her chest that was still so tender and sore.

"I'm just bored..." Nikita stated and Michael looked to Walter and blinked his eyes. For Nikita to be bored, with the four hours that she was awake during the day amazed Michael. He wondered if Nikita was starting to dream of what was going on inside the hospital room.

"Maybe we can do something to bring something new into the room," Michael dryly stated as he rubbed Nikita's forehead, seeing that she wanted to drift to sleep again. She was fighting it, and it was a good change.

"Music?" Nikita questioned and Michael smiled. He nodded his head. He could live with music.

"Hey, sugar.... I got a good singin' voice... How about I sing you back to sleep?" Walter questioned and Nikita smiled as she started to close her eyes. Walter knew he was losing his opportunity and he had to think fast on his feet.

"Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me, Starlight and dewdrop are waiting for thee..." Walter gently sang out as he moved to the bar that separated him from Nikita. Her eyes were closed, but she gently smiled at the image that popped into her head.

"Starlight and dewdrop... I like..." Nikita started to state, but sleep claimed her before her words stopped. Walter bent down and kissed her gently on her forehead, glad that Michael was allowing him free access to Nikita when possible. He backed away and looked at Michael.

"You going to spring her from here soon?" Walter questioned and Michael tilted his head to the side. Walter didn't even give Michael's look any credit. He knew Michael and he knew what was best for Nikita. As soon as it was humanly possible, it would be best to get Nikita out of the medical setting. She never did well in it, and if she got agitated with the staff, she would just cause more injury than good.

"I have to set my apartment up.. but it is too soon, Walter," Michael stated and Walter nodded his head. He looked to Michael and then to Nikita.

"Yeah... but telling her isn't going to kill you.. You know that is playing on her mind... Where does she belong?" Walter stated and Michael dropped his head. He hadn't thought of Nikita's request in the manner that Walter had put it. He had forgotten literally, Nikita still didn't belong to Section One. Michael believed that Nikita knew that where she was, he was going to be there, but she didn't seem to know that now.

"I'll tell her... I just don't want to set a date for taking her home... We never know what will happen," Michael stated and Walter nodded his head in agreement. It was good logic.

But it was also bad and limiting logic.

"But we don't know what is going to happen tomorrow either? And once you get her there... we don't know what will happen then? We almost lost her, Michael!" Walter finally fought Michael's loose logic.

"I know, Walter," Michael choked out as he closed his eyes and sat back down on the cot. Walter shook his head. He didn't mean to hit Michael while the man was down. God knew and all of Section knew that Michael was putting himself through personal hell now. He was blaming himself and everything he did on that day. Nikita hadn't been awake and aware enough to tell Michael that nothing could have changed the situation.

"Look, Michael... She knows how you feel... But she is scared... Just give her something..." Walter stated as he patted Michael's shoulder. Walter turned and walked to the bed. Again, he placed a kiss to Nikita's head before moving out of the room.

Michael leaned back on the cot for a long time. He had spent hours staring up at the ceiling as Nikita had just for a few moments. Yet, it was his decision to stay in the room with Nikita. He could still leave and come back. He could sit up in bed and turn his head without having the need to cry out in pain. He wasn't trapped in a body that was weakened.

Michael pushed his body up and moved back to the bed. He grabbed Nikita's good hand and kissed it gently with his lips. He looked at Nikita's face and pulled a stool up next to the bed.

He may not physically be trapped in the room or on a bed, but his heart was trapped here.

Waiting.

*

The urge to stretch continued to grow, to move the arms up and over the head, just to move, was filling Nikita as she stirred. However, her mind knew, as soon as it held onto the information of her surrounds, she knew that she couldn't stretch. The pain wasn't quite there, yet, but Nikita knew.

Stay still.

The pain marked itself on Nikita's body as she turned her head to the side, to where she knew someone was standing by her side. Slowly her eyes focused and Nikita lightly smiled.

"Walter," Nikita stated. She didn't know why she said it. She wasn't surprised and she didn't have anything to say to Walter. It was like she was testing herself to know that she could still talk and that she could still do things.

Doom and gloom were building in on Nikita, each day looking worse than the one that had passed.

"Let's get you sitting up some..." Walter said as he lowered the bed railing and leaned over Nikita. It was easier, as they found out, to sit Nikita up and then raise the bed up to meet her level. The slow ascension of the bed was difficult on Nikita, and therefore, Walter pulled her up in one movement.

"It's ok.. you can cry..." Walter stated as he slowly waited for the bed to reach Nikita's angle. When it did, Walter helped Nikita back, almost disappointed that there were no tears on her face.

"Where is Michael?" Nikita questioned and Walter shrugged his shoulders. He had a few ideas of where Michael was, but that wasn't the point right now. Michael had been there for so many days for so many solid hours, that now that he was out and about again, it was almost a relief. Nikita needed Michael, but she didn't need him twenty-four hours a day.

"I thought you would notice that something else was missing..." Walter stated as he looked at Nikita. She wrinkled her eyebrows and leaned her head to the other side. She looked to the dresser and smiled.

"The dying roses are gone..." Nikita stated dryly, which sent Walter into a small fit of laughter. Only Nikita would notice the roses first. Walter dropped his hands and pulled out the bedpan for Nikita.

"Oh, Walter... how thoughtful." Nikita stated as he presented Nikita with the pan. Walter only shook his head, knowing that soon, Nikita would grasp what this meant.

"The catheter is gone!" Nikita happily realized and Walter nodded his head. He looked to Nikita as she started to flush. Walter looked around and swallowed.

"Do you want me to get you a nurse or something?" Walter questioned as he saw the look of embarrassment on her face. Nikita blinked her eyes and then shook her head slowly from side to side. She rubbed her good hand across her other arm and looked down at her chest.

There was sadness there and Walter knew just to let it go. It was best not to prod Nikita to talk about her emotions. It used to be the wrong thing to do, but now, the new and improved Nikita, didn't want to speak about such things. If she did talk about them, Walter was sure that the emotions and words were reserved for Michael alone.

"No... I don't have to yet..." Nikita finally spoke, to break the silence. She looked to Walter and leaned her head further back in the pillow. It should have been something that Nikita was pleased about, but she wasn't happy.

"I heard that the doctors feel that you are healing good..." Walter started to speak, at a lost for what to do next. He looked to Nikita as she stared at him a few minutes before turning her head. She didn't have words either.

"Well... now that you can sit up.. We can play some games... How about some checkers?" Walter questioned and Nikita turned and stared at him for a few moments. She licked her lips and closed her eyes again.

"I guess," Nikita stated with a lack of enthusiasm. Walter took Nikita's hand and held it for a moment.

"If you don't want to play checkers... We can play something else... Sorry! or Life.. Or Monopoly... But I must warn you... Don't play Battleship with me..." Walter rattled off and he stepped back. Nikita's eyes didn't twinkle with laughter, as he had said the words to be funny. She pressed her lips together and was deep in thought for a while.

"If I'm sitting up... We can put a computer up on it... And I can work on some profiles... I know that Michael must be busy..." Nikita stated and Walter dropped his head in a shock. Here Walter was thinking that Nikita was having some emotional problems, and all Nikita claimed that she wanted to do was Section work.

"Did I hear you right?" Walter questioned as he shook his head. He hoped that he was wrong. Walter sure didn't want to be the one to tell Michael that Nikita wanted to work on profiles.

"I just know that Michael is trying to do everything... and I am not pulling my weight... I should have been better by now..." Nikita started to rattle off quickly. Walter blinked his eyes and shook his head back and forth. He felt the tears in his eyes.

There were tears in Michael's eyes as he stood at the door.

"George downgraded all of Section One, Nikita... There is nothing to be doing," Michael stated as he walked into the room and towards the bed. He knew his voice was harsh and he didn't regret it. Thoughts of Nikita even worrying about Section work was something that should not have happened to begin with. Michael wasn't about to allow Nikita to continue to have those thoughts.

"When did George do that?" Nikita questioned and Michael reached down and kissed her forehead. It was so good that she was sitting up.

"Not long after your surgery.... But we shouldn't be worrying about things like that..." Michael stated as he moved the bed railing back down and sat down on the edge of the bed, near Nikita. Walter turned around and started to take a poll of the nurses. There was one that was like the devil's wife that would holler and scream at Michael for doing that. A few days ago, she pulled Michael off the bed with one huge tug.

Walter didn't know why she hadn't been cancelled yet. That was one of the many questions that Walter had. Including why where they keeping Steward alive.

"George saw me... worse than this? Why didn't he cancel me?" Nikita questioned and Michael smiled and kissed her lips this time. That was Michael's reaction all of the time when Nikita said something of that nature, especially when she stated at any time that they should have let her die.

It works too.

"I thought we could talk about something else..." Michael stated as he unbuttoned his jacket and reached into his pocket. The keen senses of Nikita's narrowed down to his hand as he pulled out a small book and then turned it towards Nikita. She arched an eyebrow until Michael opened it up.

"I want you to pick the sheets that will be going on the bed at my apartment..." Michael stated, like it was nothing. Walter smiled broadly, finally pleased with Michael's actions. This was definitely something that was going to help Nikita now and put her mind off of the past.

"For you?" Nikita questioned as she raised her eyes up from the material. Michael reached out and touched Nikita's chin.

"No... for you," Michael responded clearly. He watched as Nikita's face lit up with a smile. Finally, she had something to look forward to that was more concrete and easy to imagine.

"When can I go?" Nikita jumped to the next questioned, and Walter laughed out as he walked around the bed and to the foot.

"Nikita... the bed is a start... But you.. no... we are going to need more than a little bit of help..." Michael stated and Walter cleared his throat. Michael turned to face the man as Walter smiled like he ate the canary. He winked to Nikita and continued to smile.

"See... this is where the big boy things he has everything under control... and he really doesn't..." Walter drawled out as he continued to focus on Nikita, although he was acutely aware of Michael's eyes glaring at him. They were Michael's big plans on Michael's timetable. It was Michael's way to appease Nikita, but to get her to stay inside of medical for however long he felt she needed to be there.

That wasn't going to do.

"What do you mean by that, Walter?" Michael finally challenged, seeing that the entire conversation had Nikita's attention. She was eagerly waiting to hear everything, something that Michael couldn't have said about Nikita at all during her recovery.

"I mean... I have that issue all dealt with.. I mean there is me... and your next door neighbor Mick..."

"MICK?" Michael shouted in disbelief. Nikita looked at Walter, shocked that he had been able to talk Mick into doing this. She was sure that Walter was lying. She remembered what she did to Mick. It wasn't pretty and it wasn't nice. She had wanted to apologize, but things happened so quickly.

"He won't do it, Walter... You didn't even ask him yet," Nikita softly stated for all in the room. She turned her head to the side as the two men heard her broken sob. "I did some awful things to him for this plan... He probably never wants to see me again."

"But you are wrong, Nikita.... I talked to him myself... Since he was looking for Michael..." Walter stated as he smiled broadly at Michael. What Walter had done would cut the time down that Nikita was looking at staying in medical for.

"Then I can go soon?" Nikita questioned as she leaned her head forward. Michael sadly slung his head from side to side as he touched Nikita's good hand.

"You aren't well enough, Nikita.... You only started to use the bedpan today..." Michael pointed out, until Walter cleared his throat again.

"Actually, she hasn't even used it yet," Walter revealed and Nikita turned her head angrily away from Walter. She felt betrayed by Walter's words. One minute he was on her side and the next minute, he was telling Michael all the details that would keep Nikita in medical longer.

She didn't understand.

Michael didn't understand either.

"I'm on whose ever side is right... And right now, neither of you are right!" Walter declared as he sat down heavily on the bunk. He lifted his chin as he tightened his bandanna around his head. Michael looked to Nikita and then to Walter.

"You want me to give you the control of the situation, Walter? Aren't I going to be the one helping the most?" Michael stated. He heard the audible dropping of Nikita's jaw as she stared at him.

"But I am the one that is hurt... I'm the one you should be worrying the most about! Not Walter!" Nikita argued out, and raised her voice until the pain grew in her chest. Nikita turned her head; not allowing anyone to see the pain had made it to her face and choked her words off.

"I'm saying that both of you are so worried about what is going on, and so emotionally invested in this, that you two should not be making the decisions," Walter firmly stated as he looked to Michael particularly and then to Nikita. Just from Michael to Nikita, Walter's eyes softened. He was truly looking out what was best for Nikita.

"You feel that I cannot make the best judgment call?" Michael questioned again, his voice rising in volume, indicating that he was challenging vigorously Walter's words. Michael shifted his head and continued to look at Walter.

"I am saying... I don't want this to get personal... Nikita needs you Michael... and therefore, anything that you can possibly decide that would hurt her... Shouldn't be made by you.... It's for both of your sanity that I make the decision of when to go against doctor's opinions," Walter stated and Michael dropped his head.

Nikita blinked her eyes. She couldn't believe it.

Michael was giving in.

"Nikita... is that what you want?" Michael questioned as he looked over at her. Nikita blinked her eyes. In her heart, she wanted to make her own decisions, but as of right now, Nikita saw that that decision was not an option. She was going to have to wait to get that power once again.

"I think it is logical," Nikita stated towards Michael. Michael turned his head slightly, eyeing up Walter, making sure that there wasn't anything funny going on here.

"Michael.. I was in the room with you... I held that shirt too..." Walter reminded Michael, as he knew Michael's worries. Walter wasn't going to get Nikita out of Section's medical too soon. He wanted Nikita to be healthy too, but he saw how much it was bothering Nikita that Michael was controlling everything.

"Ok... but for now..." Michael stated, as he relinquished controls of the decisions. Walter reached out and grabbed the book from Nikita's hands. He flipped the material around and held one up.

"It's kind of nice... No flowers.. which will keep Michael happy... But yet, a warm coral color... To make you look better with," Walter stated and Nikita nodded her head. Her eyes were drooping and Michael nodded to Walter.

"See.. first decision made... And everyone is happy!" Walter bellowed out as he moved out of the room. His instructions were unsaid.

Michael was to spend time with Nikita, to start healing the emotional wounds that hadn't been tended to yet.

*

It all started within a dream, when something started to cause Nikita to scratch her chest in the dream. Something was making Nikita itchy in that dream, and she tossed her head to the side. Her mind knew that she could not scratch.

That itch began to grow.

It got hot.

It pounded.

It throbbed.

It caused the chest to clamp down, making each breath more challenging than the one before.

And that was when Nikita opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. When she could barely pull in a breath, and was very aware of the surrounding pain. She wanted to dig her hands into her chest and rip it open. Nikita was sure that there was something inside of her chest that had to come out.

"Mi." Nikita struggled out, but her voice wasn't anything more than a movement of her lips. Nikita's mind was reeling as her body started to feel as if someone had set her bed on fire. She moved her legs restlessly, unable to move her hands. She was afraid if she moved her hands, she would rip her chest open.

There was just so much pain and pressure. She couldn't get her breath.

"I'm dying..." Nikita thought as she rolled her head to the side, moaning with the effort. She opened her eyes and saw Michael there, deeply asleep. He had been run ragged and she didn't expect Michael to wake at the softest of sounds, but now she wished he did.

Nikita tried to calm herself down, telling herself that it was a panic attack, but Nikita knew that it was more. She turned her head to the other side as her good hand reached to her neck.

The throbbing pain continued, growing in intensity and in strength. The breathing that had just been soft pants grew to more ragged, frantic, and more audible sounds. The tears formed in Nikita's eyes, as she couldn't control the situation, something that she would never get used too.

"Michael!" Nikita finally shouted out as she kicked her feet soundly against the bed. She heard the metal in her bed rattle below her and she moved to kick the sheets off of her legs.

She was hot everywhere.

"Get it off me... get it off me..." Nikita started to chant in-between pants. She rolled her head to the side as her hand ached to move down, only an inch. She wanted to scratch. Nikita closed her eyes and remembered back to when she was a child and had the chicken pox. She couldn't scratch then, and she knew that she couldn't scratch or pull now.

But it was so damn tempting.

"Michael!" Nikita panted out again as she saw Michael rolled off the cot and onto his knees. Nikita flung her bad hand soundly against the bed railing and groaned in pain. She just didn't have the volume in her voice any longer as she just had no concept of how difficult it was to breath.

But that would deadly become aware to Nikita.

"Michael... help!" Nikita now cried out as the sheets flung off of the bed. They didn't make a sound, but the movement spurred Michael's movement, which had been sluggish until now. He stood up to his full height and moved to the bed.

"What is it Nikita?" Michael questioned as he looked at her agitated state. He looked at her red cheeks and the tears that were glistening next to her eyes. Michael was sure that Nikita wasn't even aware that she was crying. He saw her hand by her incision and moved to pull it back down.

"I hurt..." Nikita gasped out as she pulled her hand away from Michael's touch again. Michael watched as Nikita's hand waved around the incision, threatening to do more damage than good. She leaned her head back and dropped the hand to her neck.

But now, something new was going to happen.

The pressure was building, pushing down on Nikita's chest. Nikita had been in a chokehold before in her life, mostly done by Michael in training. She had even had a man sit on her chest during training, but nothing, nothing in her life felt as bad as this did.

It felt as if each strangled breath that she dragged into her body was going to be her last, as it drained from her body quickly. She opened her eyes and continued to move her legs about, hoping to get the feeling to pass quickly.

"Nikita... Nikita..." Michael called out, as he looked down at Nikita's glassed over eyes. He brushed the hair out of Nikita's face and looked at her, hoping that Nikita would just speak. But she didn't.

The pain was growing.

"I can't... I can't..." Nikita tried to state, but she would run out of air before she could finish the sentence. It frustrated Nikita even more, which only exasperated the situation quickly.

"Ok.. Nikita... I'll call for the doctor..." Michael stated quickly as he saw the panic in Nikita's eyes. He pulled the cord and sharply pushed it. He again, reached for Nikita's hand and placed it against her body. The frown continued to be on Michael's face as Nikita's hand moved back towards her neck, this time, along with her injured hand.

"Nikita... you got to calm down... Someone will be here soon..." Michael tried to tell Nikita as she tossed her head to side to side. Michael didn't know what was going on, but he was starting to panic along with Nikita. However, Michael knew that for his emotions to show, Nikita would only grow worse. He couldn't let Nikita see his worries about what was going on.

"Help... help..." Nikita cried out between pants. She was gasping for air, feeling as if nothing was going inside of her lungs to sustain her life. Michael was helpless as he pushed at the cord again, wondering what had happened to all of the medical personnel that were part of Section One.

"They are coming Nikita... You are going to be fine... take a deep breath..." Michael tried to sooth, as he paced his voice just a bite slower than the rate that Nikita was gasping at. She looked at him and shook her head back and forth. Her mind knew what Michael wanted her to do. Nikita wished that she could follow his prompting, but the pain.

It was growing.

Larger and harder.

Throbbing and pounded.

Hotter and itchier.

"Get it out of me!" Nikita hissed sharply as her eyes rolled back. She didn't black out, which probably would have been the best thing to happen for Nikita. In fact, she fought the double vision and stared at Michael harshly.

"HELP!" Michael cried out as he looked at Nikita, not allowing his eyes to wander away from Nikita's. He knew in that moment, that it was getting critical.

"I can't... I can't... breath... Michael..." Nikita panted out as the tears now blurred her already questionable vision. She leaned her head back into the pillow and moved her hands more. She wanted her chest to open. She was sure if she opened her chest, that she would just feel better.

"Get that oxygen on her..." The doctor ordered as the personnel quickly rushed and filled the room. Michael didn't budge from the side of the bed, as he watched them work around him. Nikita looked around at the doctor started to push the bed down flat.

"NO!" Nikita hollered as the pain intensified. A nurse tried to wrap the oxygen tube around Nikita's head and into her nose. Nikita quickly batted it away with her injured hand and started to kick her legs.

"Nikita... we need you to stop that... We are trying to see what is going on..." The doctor said as he removed Nikita's hand from her neck again. The bed continued to slide down from it's sitting position, and the more frantic Nikita built herself up.

"I can't..." Nikita choked out over and over again. Michael tried to urge Nikita to allow the nurse to put the oxygen on her, that it would help with the breathing. Nikita turned her head to the side as she continued to move her hands towards her chest.

"Open it up... get it out.. get it out!" Nikita started to chant in reply to Michael's words. The nurse shook her head as she had attempted to place the oxygen again. The doctor grabbed Nikita's good hand and pushed at her fingernails. Her oxygen intake was poor and something needed to be done now.

"Try a mask," The doctor hissed as he again, fought with Nikita's arm. She was warm to touch and the doctor was almost sure what he was dealing with her, but it was becoming extremely difficult to deal with Nikita, as she was combative to all attempts to help her.

"Michael..." Nikita cried out as she felt the world shift on her again. She leaned her head to the side and then back. The world was spinning and she didn't know who was around her.

"Who are you?" Nikita questioned as she felt her hands being pushed back down to her sides.

"Nikita.. if you don't cooperate now.. We are going to have to restrain you..." The doctor warned as Nikita continued to thrash her hands around for as much as she could with her current injuries. He watched as the mask was placed on Nikita's face, but she immediately flung it off.

"I can't breathe..." Nikita hissed out as she gasped for air. The doctor looked to the nurses who were standing at the back of the room. Michael dropped his head as he saw that they had pulled out the restraints and were moving towards the bed.

"NO!" Nikita shouted and Michael felt the tears roll out of his eyes. He knew that restraints were something totally different for Nikita. Now, it was not only the fear of not being able to breath and pain, but also the fear of her history and childhood.

"Nikita... just let them help you..." Michael urged her as she kicked and clawed at the nurses. Even with her injuries, she was quite limber, actually kicking the one nurse in the head with her foot.

'Hurry.. get me that sedative..." The doctor hissed out as he saw that even with the restraints on Nikita's arms, she continued to move. The nurses, who were not preparing the additional IV and the sedative, were pulling at the leg restraints.

"NO! NO! NO!" Nikita shouted out as she felt her legs being wrenched to either side. Michael bit his lip as he saw Nikita's tears. They were tears of current fears. They were tears of past horrors.

"Nikita... they are going to help you... Help you breath... Let them work..." Michael urged Nikita, hoping to bring her out of the nightmare she was finding herself in.

No one knew the pain that Nikita was in as she continued to gasp for air. She tossed her head from side to side and Michael couldn't do a thing. Finally, he watched as the needle plunged into the IV bag and slowly, Nikita's entire body slowed down.

First her breathing regulated some and the mask was finally firmly placed on her face. Her eyes slumbered and finally, she allowed her arms to rest.

For Nikita, the pain was gone.

For Michael, he had the horror of watching the doctor move over Nikita's sleeping body, afraid of what the doctor would say. He had the horror of watching Walter chug in from running from mutations to see what was going on.

"No.. Michael... Restraints?" Walter brokenly spoke as he tried to catch his own breath. All of Walter's happy plans came to a screeching halt when Birkoff relayed the message from medical to Walter. He tossed the package of balloons to his desk and took off on this sprint.

"She was fighting the doctors... She couldn't breath..." Michael stated as he looked to Nikita and finally took a good solid step back.

After all the good progress that had been made, this was a major step backwards, not just physically. Michael couldn't remember a time that he had seen Nikita, as she had been on the bed just mere minutes ago. He had seen her very upset and angry before, but even after Patrick died; she had total control of her emotions and feelings.

She had on control and she didn't have it from the moment that she woke up. Michael blinked his eyes as he ignored Walter moving closer to them. The doctor and the nurses were ignoring them, as if they were insignificant.

"She is going to be ok, Michael... You know sugar... She is a fighter..." Walter stated as he placed a tentative arm around Michael's slumped shoulders. Walter didn't know if Michael would accept the touch or not. He watched as Michael nodded his head and then looked to Nikita, with the tears glistening on his face.

"She acted like something was eating her... or something was trying to get out.. It was.." Michael stated and then broke off. He couldn't say that last word for a long time, finding all the emotions that he had pushed deep inside of himself, suddenly surfacing now. He was never a man for public displays, but now, Michael had no control. Watching Nikita go through the pain was something that Michael would never forget.

"Awful..." Michael finally stated in one sharp word.

"I know, Michael... I know..." Walter whispered the encouragement as he patted Michael's shoulder. Walter carefully moved from Michael to the doctor, who was writing on his chart.

"What is it, doc?" Walter questioned and he turned and stared at Walter for a while. He settled the chart back on the end of the bed and looked to Nikita.

"There is an infection in the incision... We are running some tests now... But we may be setting up a more sterile field..." The doctor stated and Walter shook his head. The doctor thought he was hiding the truth, but Walter looked over and Michael and then to the doctor.

"You think it is a staph infection?" Walter questioned bluntly. Michael turned his head as he heard Walter's question. Michael felt his heart stop for a second.

"It could be... Now... most often, we can treat staph infections easily... We won't know until I get the test results back..." the doctor said in a firm voice as he noticed that Michael was paying attention. Walter was not surprised as Michael turned his head to the other side and stared at the wall.

"But it could be resistant to antibiotics..." Walter pointed out the doctor pushed away from the bed. He sure did not want Walter and Michael jumping to conclusions right now. The doctor looked to Nikita and swallowed. In his heart, from the way that Nikita was acting, with just the infection alone, he would think that it was one of the resistant strains of staph. Luckily, Section One was working on many new antibiotics a few that proved to be promising.

"I can't speculate until more tests are done.. Until we can come results and bring Nikita's fever down... We are going to keep her in restraints and lightly sedated.. For her own well-being," The doctor issued as he turned and moved out the room.

Michael looked to Nikita and leaned his head back.

He thought that they were finally out of the woods.

Walter turned around and moved out of the room. He had to cancel the order for ten pizzas to Michael's apartment for the party tonight.

There sure wasn't going to be a party on this night.

Or the nights to come.

*

The doctor slipped the sheet back over Nikita's body, knowing that it was both Nikita's wished and Michael's wishes that she remained cover. He had thought many times about that fact in the past few days, wondering how Nikita had gone from doing perfectly well to having a staph infection.

She was on the mend now, but since she was sedated three days ago, she hadn't wakened from the slumber. Her body fought the infection, at times; it looked like the infection was going to win. The temperature would spike, then drop, making it appear as if the body was winning. Then in a matter of minutes, the fever would spike even higher than before.

But now the fever was gone. For all purposes, it appeared as if the fever was gone too.

The doctor was not the only one who was wondering about the staph infection. It used to be a rather common infection, but Section wasn't a common place. It had taken care control of events and Michael shivered with the possibilities of where the infection came from. He reigned in his free-floating anxiety and tried to worry just about Nikita. That was easy, but the anxiety came back quickly, wondering if Nikita could get another infection.

"She is looking better, Michael... She should be waking up soon," The doctor spoke as he touched Nikita's chin lightly and watched as her eyes rolling around underneath her heavy eyelids. Michael vaguely shifted his head to the side to look at the doctor's eyes. He was wary of any good words, as he had seen Nikita's health shift quickly in the past three days.

"I want you to run tests on all the operatives... I want to know where Nikita got this infection..." Michael stated and the doctor blinked his eyes. It was a huge task that Michael was asking for all of medical to get involved with.

"Michael... this infection might not even be related to anyone inside of Section One. She may have had it in her system for some time. You said she was training with lasers... Those are injuries too," the doctor tried to reason with Michael. He did not see the sense of testing everyone for this staph infection. It wasn't resistive to antibiotics; it was just a stubborn one.

"No matter. I would feel better to know the status of all the operatives," Michael ordered and the doctor nodded his head. He knew that right now was not the time to plead his case with Michael. Michael's attention was deeply on Nikita and what was best for Nikita. Even a few operatives had started to mutter that Michael didn't even care about Section One any longer. Those words have probably been muttered back to Michael, who did nothing so far.

"Can we take the restraints off, now? I don't think Nikita waking up with them will do anyone any good," Michael questioned. It was a common thread that he had spoke often during this current health ordeal. The doctor shifted his head to look at Nikita more. The set of his mouth indicated Michael the decision before the words were muttered.

"We cannot chance Nikita waking up and disturbing the incision, Michael... Once she wakes and she appears to be in no danger of herself, we will take them off," The doctor recited, as he often did in a similar fashion. He waited for Michael's response, more than likely hoping that Michael would agree with him.

That didn't happen.

"I hope you are correct," Michael cryptically spoke out as he stood up from the cot and moved to the bed. He touched Nikita's hand as his green eyes fluttered over her face, seeing how the color was finally being restored to her face. The doctor was starting out of the room, knowing that it was best for Nikita to wake with Michael's presence.

"Like I stated... it shouldn't be long," the doctor whispered as he opened the door and walked back into the hallway. Michael didn't even look back. For Michael, there was no use for the doctor other than to make Nikita healthy. Michael looked at the restraints and even though they were padded with soft sheepskin, Nikita was going to be outraged. Of course she is going to act out, just like the doctor stated, but not because of pain, but because she was restrained.

Michael pressed a kiss to Nikita's head and turned back to the cot. For the doctor, it might not be long for Nikita to wake up, but for Michael, it would be forever. The past three days felt like months passing. Even with Walter checking in and trying to talk with Michael, time dragged on.

With one heavy huff, Michael dropped his head back down on the pillow. For the days now he had been alerted, listening to Nikita's breathing, afraid of what happened when her breathing raced or slowed. On many occasions, Michael noticed Nikita's changing health condition and called for the doctor and nurses. Now, the effect of being up for such a long time dropped his eyelids, just for a few seconds.

But those seconds dragged onto minutes. And those minutes lapsed into several more minutes.

Surfacing from the horror of infection that had racked Nikita's body for three days was happening as Michael slumbered next to the bed. It started with a slight moan and turn of her head. In ways, Nikita just wanted to go back to sleep, but something told her that something more happened and it was time to wake up.

The first thing she noticed was not the restraints as Michael had worried. It was the other item that Nikita had always found annoying, the tube inserted into her nose to give her oxygen. Nikita hated that piece of equipment and started to move her head around, hoping it would just slip from her nose.

When it didn't, Nikita opened her eyes and looked at the room. To Nikita, at first, it didn't feel like days had passed. It felt like she had been asleep for a few hours, and the events that had led up to her slumber were vanished from her memory. She didn't remember the pain that she had been in or the fight she had been giving the doctors.

Until she tried to pull her hand up to push the tube out of her nose, Nikita was happy. Once her hand tugged and she felt the feeling of being connected to the bed, she felt the tears rolling down her face in horror. The memories of what had occurred poured back, overwhelming Nikita for a few moments as she closed her eyes.

Now Nikita knew that it wasn't for a few hours. She didn't know how long she had been asleep, but she sensed it was much more than a few hours that she had initially believed it to be. She turned her head to the side and looked through the bed railing to see Michael asleep on the cot.

"Michael..." Nikita stated out, almost loudly as she stared at him. She waited as Michael turned his head and opened his eyes one at a time. Nikita smiled with parched lips at the brilliant green eyes that happily looked at her.

"Nikita... You are up..." Michael stated as he rolled elegantly off the bed and to a standing position without hesitation. He reached his hands to Nikita's face as he moved to the bed railing and smiled. He missed Nikita's blue eyes again.

"What happened?" Nikita questioned and Michael nodded his head. His hands dropped immediately to Nikita's hand and started to undo the restraint. Nikita was calm and coherent. Michael touched her palm softly with his fingers as the restraint opened and freed that one hand. Immediately, Nikita pushed the hand to her face to push the tube out of her nose and to wipe the stray tears off of her face.

She wasn't going to cry any more.

"You had a severe infection... a staph infection..." Michael revealed to Nikita as he took her hand back in his and kissed it lightly. He looked to Nikita's face and felt the smile etch itself across his face slowly until both corners were up. "You almost died,"

"So I had a fever?" Nikita questioned and Michael nodded his head. It was an odd questioned and he tilted his head to the side, wondering why Nikita had asked that inside of the other numerous questions that had to be in her mind. Michael reached out and stroked at Nikita's forehead softly once again.

"Yes... it came and went many times... Why do you ask? I thought you would like to know that you were out for a solid two days..." Michael stated in slow words. Nikita closed her eyes and Michael immediately started to worry that there had been some sort of relapse. His heart began to race until Nikita opened her eyes.

"My hair... I can feel it... I need it washed..." Nikita stated quite seriously. Michael couldn't help but laugh as he bent down to Nikita's forehead. He placed a kiss there again and picked his head only inches away from her.

"I'll see what I can do about that..." Michael said as the giggle tinted his voice with each word. It was a good tone that caused Nikita smiled brightly, a smile that radiated and made Michael feel as if now, the good would finally start for them.

"I was out for two days?" Nikita questioned and Michael nodded his head. He watched as Nikita slid her head over on the pillow, creating a more comfortable angle for Nikita to view Michael at. He even watched as she shifted in the bed once again, showing that she had healed a great deal, as there was no wince on her face.

"And they didn't put a catheter back in?" Nikita questioned wryly and Michael smiled. Nikita laughed with no pain and Michael felt all of the worries drift away. He didn't know if this was truly because she was healing as much as she appeared, or it was happening because she just wasn't aware of the pain yet. But it was a giant step in recovery and Michael couldn't help but smile.

"No... I stopped them from doing that," Michael stated smartly, sounding very serious until the smile crossed his face again. It just wouldn't leave his face and Nikita echoed the look on her face. She was so pleased to see Michael with her own eyes. She felt as if she had been away from him for years and years.

"But I guess I'm not going home yet..." Nikita stated sadly as she turned her head to the side. Michael looked to Nikita's face and allowed her to have the time to grieve for the missed opportunity. He moved down to the foot of the bed and worked on freeing her feet. He lightly held them in his hands before moving to the injured hand. It was amazing that when Nikita initially fought the doctors that she hadn't further aggravated the injury, but she didn't.

"Thanks," Nikita muttered, as she felt free from the restraints. Michael looked at her eyes and saw that the fear of the restraints had vanished but were deeply on her mind. The horror for Michael now knew the impact that the restraints were going to have on Nikita's precious and healing sleep. It was something that he had hoped to avoid, but the doctor had won every time. Now, Nikita was going to have issues because them, and there was nothing that Michael could do.

"You are going to be fine, Nikita..." Michael issued out, knowing that Nikita needed to hear it. She lifted her head and turned it once again when it appeared as if she was going to speak. Michael pressed his lips together and sighed heavily. Shutting him out now was only going to further the problems.

"Nikita... It's ok to be disappointed and scared. You need to talk about those feelings though," Michael stated, without moving to the other side of the bed. He would not chase after the look of her face and eyes.

"Michael... I don't want you to see me like this," Nikita whispered out and Michael blinked his eyes. He had been by her side from the beginning of this and Michael stepped back from the bed, shocked. He looked like Nikita's words had electrocuted him.

"Why? Am I making it worse?" Michael questioned, knowing that he was looking for more punishing words from Nikita. However, Michael needed to know if this was the way that Nikita truly felt or if it was something that was just an after effect of current traumas.

"I appreciated you being here, Michael... I know that you saved my life and protected me... But I just need some time," Nikita explained with clear words, but Michael wasn't positive that Nikita meant those words. He didn't see her face and he didn't see her eyes. He didn't see the tears that ran down her face as she covered them with her good hand.

But he heard the words.

"You know where I am, Nikita.... I have to go talk with George either way..." Michael stated as he moved to the foot of the bed. He stood there, waiting. Hoping that Nikita would call him back and ask him to stay.

She didn't.

Nikita didn't even move.

"I love you, Nikita... Always," Michael whispered, much like the doctor had whispered his comment that Nikita would be waking soon. He closed the glass door behind him and looked in at Nikita.

He had to remind himself that Nikita was only asking for time.

*

Michael rubbed his eyes rapidly and then slowly. The conversation he had with George was only serving to build the tension headache that Michael was having. After spending ten hours, sleeping while trying to track down George for the mandatory conversation, George brushed Michael off, sighting that if Nikita wasn't well enough that there was nothing to talk about.

But rubbing his eyes was getting Michael nowhere. He was attempting to see what the operatives were up to, to see if they were actually following through with gathering the intel for the other Sections to use. It was the reason why Michael was needed elsewhere, and he knew that if Nikita went home in the next week, that he needed to make sure that the operatives were doing as directed.

He didn't need to worry. Birkoff and Walter had joined up on keeping the operatives moving. They often pointed to Steward, who was still trapped in the white room. Michael had totally forgotten about him for the time being, but he would be dealt with sooner or later.

Michael lifted his head once more to look out of the office. It felt strange to look out and see all of Section One. It was a great vantage point, but Michael highly disliked the office.

"Michael..." Walter's voice echoed as he spoke before entering the office. Michael leaned his head off to the side as Walter entered the room, looking haggard. Michael was confused and he leaned back in the chair to wait for Walter. Michael knew when Walter was going to start talking, and now was one of those times.

"You can't waste your time in here... You need to go..." Walter commanded as he leaned closer to Michael and stared into the green eyes. Walter knew that Michael probably felt as if the world was all on his shoulders right now. That pressure had to be difficult. But one thing was more important than everything else.

Nikita.

"Why?" Michael questioned as he motioned for Walter to take a seat. Walter looked out of the glass and sighed as he sat down. It was interesting being in this office and he looked to Michael with worry on his face.

"I just came from sugar... and all she was doing was crying... I couldn't get anything from her," Walter stated and Michael was shocked. He leaned forward as his heart told him to run down to Nikita's side. His mind was telling Michael that there was much more that he needed to learn before he ran.

"Why?" Michael questioned again, knowing that the one word was going to frustrate Walter, but also bring forth the answers that were needed. Michael did not even jump as Walter slapped his hands heartily across his own legs.

"I don't know, Michael. She sure in hell wasn't going to tell me. She didn't even want me to know that she was crying," Walter supplied quickly and Michael nodded his head. Now he was getting somewhere. Sometimes with Nikita, you had to know where you were starting before you saw her.

"Did you try to stop her?" Michael softly questioned as he watched Walter. He didn't want Walter to be playing a game with him. Michael had been through enough the past day, that he did not need Walter manipulating him at this point.

"It was pointless, Michael. She didn't even mutter hello to me. It was like I was invisible to her," Walter dryly replied back, but the old man's eyes said it all. What Nikita just did, although she might not be aware of it, hurt Walter deeply. Walter had always been willing to do anything for Nikita and Michael knew that it was killing Walter to have Nikita pushing him away.

"When I left earlier, she wanted to be left alone. What is going on, Walter?" Michael questioned. He got a response he did not like and did not want.

Walter shook his head back and forth as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know... All I know is that she wouldn't look at me so I didn't see the tears. But I know they were there, Michael. I was there for an hour and got nothing!" Walter shouted loudly. Michael closed his eyes as the pain radiated in his head; Walter's words were not helping.

"Nothing? No mutterings?" Michael questioned. He watched Walter shake his head negatively slowly. Michael was grasping at straws and finally swallowed.

"You got more knowledge than you know, Walter. I'll go down in a little bit," Michael said as he stood up and rolled his shoulders back. Michael felt Walter stand up, and jumped when Walter's hands firmly landed on his shoulders.

"Michael... Sugar was crying before I got there... The doc said for about an hour... Is crying by herself going to make her heal quicker?" Walter pointed out and then dropped his hands from the shoulders. Walter slumped. He had hoped that Michael would rush down to Nikita's side.

Walter had his own feelings about why Nikita was crying. Now, Nikita didn't say yes to any of them, but Walter was sure that he knew Nikita pretty well. She was upset at being in medical still. She desperately wanted out of that bed and that white hospital bed. Walter couldn't blame her. Michael's apartment was all ready for Nikita, even fully stocked with food. All that was needed was Nikita.

However, Walter knew he had controls of the decision making, but he also knew, that Nikita was just over the infection. An infection that had almost taken her life. Walter didn't want to take Nikita now without it being part of Michael's decision or idea. Walter just wasn't sure how to help Michael make that decision without pushing him much harder in the right direction.

"You are right... I'll go see her," Michael spoke as he swiftly moved out the room. Walter looked over his shoulder as Michael disappeared and seconds later, appeared on the main floor of Section One, heading to medical.

Walter looked down and hoped that Michael had the magical touch that he had seemed to always have with Nikita. It was true; Nikita had changed a lot in the time that had passed. That was the lasting effect that happened to Nikita due to Madeline's and Operations tampering with her mind. Although they were gone and Nikita exacted her revenge, Walter knew that she would never quite be the same.

The old Nikita would reach out for Walter and cry on his shoulder. She would have accepted his help. She wouldn't have hidden her tears and continued to be incommunicative. If Nikita was having this difficulty now, Walter didn't want to be around when Michael started to explain why Steward was trapped in the white room, waiting for some unknown punishment, which should be death in Walter's book.

There was no use worrying about it any further. Walter turned and moved out of the office. Even with Madeline and Operations gone, it still felt as if they were there. Walter didn't know if he would shake that feeling and he had to wonder if Section One would ever shake that feeling.

~~

Michael looked into the room through the glass. It was a physical barrier between Michael and Nikita, but Michael also knew that there was an emotional barrier between them. He felt it when Nikita had asked him to leave and he saw it now, as Nikita's head was silently turned to the side and the tears rolled off her face. She didn't ask for Michael, and she seemed quite content in staying there crying.

"Nikita..." Michael whispered out as he opened the door and walked in. He watched as she lifted her head every so slightly, but dropped it back down to the pillow, not looking at him for more than a few seconds. Michael rubbed his hands together as he approached the bed and pulled down the railing. He sat down and leaned over Nikita's legs to look at her face, even if she was trying to hide it.

"Please... tell me why you are crying," Michael simply stated. His eyes flickered from one wet cheek to the other, glancing over the eyes for more of a clue to what was going on. Nikita lifted her head up and sighed heavily before she broke down.

"I can't tell you, Michael.. It doesn't matter," Nikita said in a voice that indicated that she was trying to be strong. Michael was afraid that Nikita was going to move towards going back to shutting him out. He could not allow that to happen now.

"Everything matters, Nikita. Please tell me," Michael stated simply out. It was a promise, that everything that was bothering Nikita, bothered Michael equally if not more. He quite understandably couldn't watch Nikita go through more suffering pain.

"I want out of here, Michael.... Please!" Nikita begged out as she looked at him with her eyes. Michael felt his heart go out to her. He was ready to pick her up and run with her. That was what he should do, but there were so many things that were still unanswered.

"Nikita... we have to worry about your health first," Michael quietly stated, not saying no, but not saying yes either. He shifted as he watched Nikita grab a pillow next to her. He waited carefully as Nikita grunted to sit up so Michael could hold her. He had to wonder if that was all that Nikita needed as she settled into his arms and Michael settled on the rose bed.

"I can't get better here... I feel like I'm going to die here, Michael..." Nikita stated out loudly. Michael tilted his head to the side, not sure if he could believe Nikita's words, or if it was a way for Nikita to make Michael react. He stroked Nikita's face carefully and saw that these words were very strong fears. This wasn't about getting to go home with Michael and getting cared for at home. This was about simply getting out of medical. Michael was sure if he offered to take her to another room within Section One, as long as it wasn't medical, that it would make Nikita pleased.

"I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you, Nikita. Is this truly what you want, most of all?" Michael commented and questioned again. He had to be sure.

"I need out of here," Nikita stated in a scant whisper and Michael swallowed. She was obsessed with that decision now more than ever. Michael stroked Nikita's hair back that still hadn't been cleaned by the nurses as Michael told them to do.

"Nikita, can you tell me why?" Michael questioned. His fingers lightly brushed her other shoulder as he felt the tense muscles. None of that could be good for Nikita's healing and only pointed towards reasons why she should get out of medical.

"I hate it here...It is too sterile.. And too white... I need somewhere warm," Nikita started to explain as she turned her and looked at Michael. The tears continued to roll down her face and started to wet her neck.

"I need to get away from that smell.. it makes my head ache... And I can't rest here... People are always in and out and so loud, Michael... You don't like medical, why is this so hard!" Nikita argued out and Michael simply nodded his head. He was taking all of this in, knowing that the real reason, the reason behind the hours of tears, was not revealed yet. Michael blinked his eyes and touched her chin softly with his hand. She washed her eyes across Michael's face and suddenly felt safer than she had in a long time. Like she could tell Michael anything at all and he would understand.

"Sometimes I feel like I am invisible to the staff here... They come in, take the stats, and walk out like I am no one... And sometimes they talk too loud in the hallways," Nikita stated as she closed her eyes. There was something painful behind Nikita's eyes and Michael stroked her forehead vigilantly, hoping to ease some of the fears. Michael kissed Nikita's neck softly.

"What are they talking about?" Michael questioned as he continued to hold his mouth near her neck.

"They talk about how it was better with Madeline... and how they wonder how George let me live... And they talk about Steward... he is alive, isn't he?" Nikita rapidly spoke. Michael felt all of his body drain quickly out, not knowing where to start with Nikita's words. He couldn't believe that medical had aligned themselves with Madeline and Operations. He couldn't believe that Nikita had heard about Steward.

"Steward is alive, Nikita.. We will worry about him when you are better," Michael quickly stated, realizing that it was probably the issue that was bothering and nagging Nikita the most. Nikita looked to the wall and swallowed.

"He has a family... They must be missing him," Nikita softly spoke and Michael nodded his head. He had seen Steward the other day. He had spent so much time in the white room that it was making the man insane. Michael almost assigned the man no hope.

"Nikita, I am not making any decision about him... And I don't think you should either... Not now," Michael stated and Nikita nodded her head. She looked at Michael and licked her parched lips.

"It just hurts to hear them talking about them.... And when they say that I was wrong.. They don't know the pain that Madeline put me through and they don't know how hard it was for me to train myself to pull the trigger on Madeline... It was easy to do Operations... But with Madeline..." Nikita started to explain. Her voice drifted off at the end, right when Michael believed that they were getting somewhere. She turned her head away and used her cast hand to push the hair out of her eyes.

"Why was it hard with Madeline, Nikita?" Michael prodded, knowing that this is the most talkative that Michael had seen Nikita since she went to Section Eight. He watched as Nikita visibly flinched.

"Because when I first came to Section One... I saw her like a mother..." Nikita whispered out and Michael dropped his eyes, but not his head. He sure didn't want Nikita to know the emotional reaction he had from hearing Nikita admit something that he had felt about Nikita for a long time. He waited, for Nikita to continue.

"I wished for the longest time that she would have been my mother, Michael... And now that I have killed her, I kind of wish she was around to stop the pain," Nikita whispered as she looked up at the ceiling and saw the stark white.

Michael jumped as Nikita abruptly pulled her body up and over her stomach. It had to have created her great pain, but Michael knew at the moment, Nikita's emotion pain, from the injured psyche was creating more pain. He listened to Nikita's broken scream as she hugged the pillow tightly to her chest to ease the physical pain.

"The white... It makes me think of them... I think that they are still alive and that they are coming to get me.... That my punishment is just starting... I need out of here, Michael!" Nikita shouted as she turned her head and found Michael rubbing his shoulders softly.

"If that is what you need, Nikita... We can do that," Michael responded as he licked his own lips. Now that the explanation was all out in the open, Michael could fully understand Nikita's motives and issues. He did not want to subject Nikita to anymore pain that she had already gone through.

"Please, get me out of here, Michael. Soon," Nikita begged out, as her blue eyes were drenched with more tears. Michael could see that Nikita was afraid that Michael was going to take the side of the medical personnel, or that he was just going to say no and leave.

"Ok, Nikita... We'll go now..." Michael stated as he reached over and disconnected the IV. He didn't care about what the doctor would say. Michael will be disciplining the entire medical staff and moving them out of Section One shortly either way. He looked at Nikita and wrapped the lone sheet closer to her body.

"Now?" Nikita questioned, stunned at how quickly Michael had been prepared to make the move. He nodded his head as he kissed Nikita's forehead. He knew that there would be medical staff trying to stop him, but Michael had the power. He knew also that there were easier ways to move Nikita, but they all took time.

"This is going to hurt... Got the pillow?" Michael questioned. Nikita nodded her head and wrapped her arms tightly around the pillow. She groaned as Michael heaved her up in his arms. He felt Nikita's tears and swallowed as he moved to the door and used his foot to exit.

The cries from personnel started as soon as Michael exited the room. They moved out of Michael's way as he continued to move, as if they weren't there. The medical door opened and Michael walked down the hallway, gathering a look at Walter.

The older man sprung up from his chair and grabbed his leather coat and keys to a car. He moved to the side of Michael and Nikita and saw Nikita holding her eyes shut tightly.

"Look sugar... You are going to love the set up at Michael's... And I'll drive as carefully as I can," Walter promised as he moved ahead to open doors for Michael. Nikita didn't say a word, or even nod her head. Michael though stared at Walter, silently battling about who was going to drive.

"Look, Michael... You are going to have to hold her in the back seat. Do you really want me getting my paws on her while she only has the Johnny coats on?" Walter questioned and Michael pressed his lips together. Walter painted the picture quickly.

He was driving.

"If you even as so much hit a pot hole, Walter... You will pay deeply for such an error," Michael said as the doors opened and gave way to the car that was waiting at the first opening. Michael knew at that instance, that Walter believed that it was best to get Nikita out of medical and out of Section.

"Wait! Michael!" a nurse hollered out as another elevator opened up. Michael slid Nikita into the backseat of the car and turned to face the nurse. She looked around and shoved the bag out towards Michael.

"I'll probably be punished for this... but there are some supplies you are going to need... Medicine.. IV... dressings for the incision..." the nurse said as she stepped back. Michael looked to Walter and easily settled into the back seat with the medicine. Michael took Nikita in his arms and looked up at the rear view mirror.

"Nice woman," Walter commented, worried that Michael was going to allow the woman to get punished for her good deeds because he was too busy with Nikita. Michael nodded his head as his hands touched Nikita softly. The ordeal of moving her had given away to sleep.

It was a blessing.

"I'll be getting rid of most the medical personnel, Walter. Be sure she isn't one of them," Michael commented as he nodded his head for Walter to start driving.

Michael had been in a car before with Walter. He was scared.

But he had never been in a car that Walter drove with an injured Nikita in.

Smooth didn't even describe the ease of the ride.

*

Mick paced outside of Michael's apartment, waiting for the arrival. He worried about everything that was happening. Mick was sure that Walter didn't tell him the full story of what happened to Nikita. He loved the woman himself; even after what Nikita did to him while he was captured at the place she called Section Eight. Mick's memories from there though did not stop Mick from saying he would help.

There was this forever soft spot in his heart for Nikita, even if she was forever in love with Michael.

The story that was told to Mick was that Nikita had been under orders to take him to Section Eight. That Nikita worked on getting rid of Madeline and Operations for George. It was the easiest way to tell Mick what happened and why Nikita was alive now. The problem came when Walter had to tell Mick why Nikita was injured and why they were lucky that she was alive.

Mick looked down the hallway and looked to Michael's apartment again. They had made a lot of changes to Michael's apartment and Mick hoped that they were all for a good reason. He had a hard time believing that Nikita was willingly with Michael again.

It was all the linger issues Mick had about his capture. He had been around Nikita and Michael when they took her mind away. It was not a good time to be Nikita's next-door neighbor. He had also been there on the day that Nikita's mind broke through it all.

Earplugs didn't help Mick sleep that night.

Mick shivered as he got the mental picture in his mind again. He looked down the hallway and leaned against the wall.

Mick never was one to hold things against people. He didn't like feeling like he had been played either. He knew that he had been. He knew that it was just asking for more punishment. The Nikita he had seen inside of Section Eight was different from the annoyed Nikita that was his next-door neighbor. Walter didn't seem too confident that Nikita had gone back to that Nikita.

It worried Mick.

"Mick... open the door," Michael spoke as the elevator opened and Michael immerged with Nikita holding a pillow to her chest. Mick was shocked by the sight. She looked awful. Her hair looked like it was barely holding onto her head. Her cheeks were all drawn back and looked as if she was pulling them back herself, until her mouth opened with a soft moan.

Her voice was so strained.

"Mick," Michael stated out in a warning voice. Mick turned and opened the door wide for Michael and Walter. He watched as Michael smoothly walked into his apartment, being careful not to jar his body with anything, because it would just translate for more pain for Nikita. Mick closed the door and followed Michael as he moved to the bedroom.

"Is she ok? Is she really ready to be home?" Mick questioned from the doorway. Walter turned away from Michael as he settled Nikita on top of the sheets. The old man grabbed the bag of medicine and held it to Michael as he continued to look at Mick, trying to find the words.

"She will heal better here, Mick. More motivation," Michael spoke out when he saw that Walter was having difficulty with the question. Michael opened the bag and looked up once again. Mick hadn't moved.

"Is there anything I can do right now?" Mick questioned and Michael stopped himself from smiling. Mick was a good guy, someone willing to put what Nikita did do to him behind him to help Nikita. Michael stroked the hair out of Nikita's face and sighed deeply. He wasn't sure if he wasn't going to regret this.

"I'm sure that Nikita isn't ready to eat yet... But I'm famished and I know that Walter is... If you can order something..." Michael stated and Mick opened his mouth as he smiled. This was his second official task.

"Order something? Why? I'm a great cook, Michael. But we'll do something easy. Grilled cheese and bacon?" Mick questioned and Michael nodded his head. His stomach growled and Walter turned and looked down at Michael's stomach.

"You are human! I don't think I have ever seen you eat!" Walter stated and Michael struggled to smile at Walter. Michael just wanted to get Mick out of the room so he could tend to some things that Nikita needed down. Although Mick was going to be helping out a lot, Michael was sure that she still wanted privacy when possible, even if she was asleep at the moment.

"I'll make them now.... I spied in your cupboards and refrigerator and I will be pleased to cook anytime here," Mick announced and Michael nodded his head as the man left. Michael blinked his eyes, wondering if Mick could really cook as he was claiming to be able to do.

They were going to find out.

"We need to change her..." Michael stated as he continued to stroke Nikita's head softly. She was nicely asleep as he gave Nikita the medicine to assure that she stayed asleep now. He was sure that the ride, no matter how smooth it was, and the moving from the car to the apartment, had not done Nikita any good in the pain department.

"Walter... the top drawer... There should be a pink nightgown," Michael spoke out as he settled down on the bed next to Nikita. He looked down to the clothing that was on Nikita. He knew that Nikita would feel much better when changed into something that was less exposing.

"You mean this?" Walter questioned as he pulled out the silky item. He held it out and looked shock as Michael nodded his head and extended his hand for the item. Walter pulled back and shook his head back and forth. He disagreed with this.

"Michael... I think this is something for a little bit down the road... We are working on getting her better..." Walter stated as he turned the nightgown around and showed Michael the plunging neckline it did have, even though it was made big for comfort. Michael pressed his lips together and looked to the mirror that was on the wall.

He hated the fact that he didn't think about it. Michael just went to the store to buy something that he was sure that Nikita would like. He felt the silk would make her feel more comfortable. Michael also didn't want to admit he didn't have anything else for Nikita to wear. He couldn't think of keeping her in the medical issued open front gown.

"Do you have a t-shirt or something?" Walter questioned as he moved back to the drawers and started to search for himself. Michael opened his mouth to protest when Walter pulled out a shirt and turned to Michael. The black material glared at him.